Black Forest, Bavaria & the Tyrol 15 Relaxing Days – Frankfurt to Munich Neuschwanstein Castle Discover more with Albatross… Wander down cobblestoned streets in stunning villages, explore Ludwig’s fairytale castles and take in the • Take the funicular up to Heidelberg Castle and taste wine on the ‘route Alsace du Vin’ spectacular mountain views from Hitler’s Eagle Nest and • Stay 4 nights in medieval Triberg, visit gothic Freiburg, the undulating ‘Sound of Music’ hills near beautiful, postcard perfect Colmar, beautiful Gengenbach, Lake Titisee and cruise on the River Ill in Strasbourg baroque Salzburg… ahhhh! • Wander around the gardens of the ‘Flower Island’ of Mainau, cross Lake Constance to Meersburg and visit the old harbour DAY 1 FRANKFURT of Lindau Your tour commences this evening with a welcome drink before dinner in • Spend 3 nights in the mountains of Bavaria under the shadow your hotel. This is an ideal chance to meet, and get to know, your Tour of Ludwig’s fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle, visit Linderhof Manager and fellow travellers. (D) Palace, the Passion Play Theatre and Museum in Your Frankfurt Hotel – Hilton Frankfurt Oberammergau, Fussen, Wieskirche, and enjoy a cable car ride DAY 2 TRIBERG IN THE BLACK FOREST to Tegelberg We spend the morning in the nearby ancient university town of Heidelberg. • Explore Innsbruck, visit Swarovski Crystal World and Set in the wooded Neckar Valley, it is noted for its twin-towered bridge and Rattenberg red sandstone castle. We have included a funicular ride up to the castle and • Relax over 3 nights in the Austrian Tyrol, visit Berchtesgaden, entrance to the castle courtyard and terrace to enjoy the magnificent views Hitler’s Eagles Nest, the Obersalzberg Dokumentation Centre of the city and Nekkar River below, and to see the world’s largest wine barrel and Mayrhofen and the German Apothecary Museum. Later, we drive deep into the Black • Drive over the magnificent Fern and Gerlos Alpine Passes, Forest to enjoy an afternoon stop in Gengenbach. With its watchtowers and admire the Krimmler Wasserfälle market square surrounded by lovely half-timbered houses, it is easy to see • Enjoy 3 nights in Mozart’s baroque city of Salzburg, visit the why it has been called a “pearl among the Black Forest towns”. We continue ‘Sound of Music’ church at Lake Mondsee and Hallstatt to nearby Triberg, where we spend the next four nights. (B,D) • Ride on a steam train along the Ziller Valley and on a petit train through Colmar Your Black Forest Hotel – Parkhotel Wehrle, Triberg 30 SMALL GROUPS • LONGER STAYS 1 FRANKFURT Heidelberg GERMANY Strasbourg Alsace t s Gengenbach e r Ribeauvillé o AUSTRIA F FRANCE Kaysersberg k c Munich a Colmar l B 4 TRIBERG e SALZBURG Freiburg h T Bavaria Weiskirche Mondsee Titisee Neuschwanstein 3 Fussen Linderhof Hallstatt Oberammergau Berchtesgaden Mainau 3 Lindau Kitzbuhel HOHENSCHWANGAU Jenbach Innsbruck 3 KIRCHBERG Mayrhofen AVERAGE KMS PER DAY: 129 Krimml Tyrol SWITZERLAND Tour commences Overnight stays Included excursions ITALY 15 days - Over $1,500 value of extras already included With NO additional ‘on tour’ costs! Discover the Albatross difference 2015 Dates and Prices • Small group size – average 22, maximum 28 15 days from $5,689 pp twin share (land only prices in Australian dollars) • Longer stays, with NO 1 night stops on tour STARTS ENDS PP TWIN SINGLE • Genuinely inclusive, with NO additional on tour costs FRANKFURT MUNICH SUPPLEMENT • Stay in authentic, character style hotels • Tours designed specially for you – Australians and New Zealanders 23 May 6 June $5,689 $979 13 June 27 June $5,689 $979 Incredible Value Inclusions 4 July 18 July $5,689 $979 15 August 29 August $5,689 $979 • All the sightseeing, scenic drives and excursions (as per the itinerary) 5 September 19 September $5,789 $1,079 • Fully escorted by our experienced Tour Manager 19 September 3 October $5,789 $1,079 • Travel in a first class air-conditioned touring coach • End of tour tips to Tour Manager and Driver, tips for local guides • 14 nights authentic, specially selected accommodation as described Book before 15 January 2015 & SAVE $300 pp • Hotel porterage (1 bag per person) Further discounts may apply – see page 17 for details • 11 dinners including a welcome dinner and special farewell dinner • Breakfast daily • Welcome drink in Frankfurt Pre and Post Accommodation • Local guides - Mainau Botanical Gardens, Neuschwanstein Castle, Salzburg, Hitler’s Eagles Nest If you would like to arrive a few days ahead of your tour, or extend • Entrances: Heidelberg Castle, Mainau Botanical Gardens, afterwards we can often arrange accommodation at the same hotels used Neuschwanstein Castle, Linderhof Palace, Swarovski Crystal World, on this tour. Please contact us for details. Oberammergau Theatre and Museum, Hitler's Eagles Nest, Obersalzberg Dokumentation Centre, Krimml Waterfalls Guaranteed Group Departures • Funicular ride Heidelberg Castle, Strasbourg river cruise, Petit Train ride Colmar, Alsace wine tasting, Lake Constance ferry ride, horse and buggy Book our tours with confidence! If you book and deposit on any of our ride to Neuschwanstein, Tegelberg cable car ride and Ziller Valley steam tours, as long as there are just 10 or more people travelling on your train ride designated group departure, we guarantee it will travel. • Personal audio system whilst on tour • Free WIFI available on most coaches and at hotels 31 Linderhof Palace. Fussen z t DAY 3 TRIBERG IN THE BLACK FOREST u t S l e Crossing the Rhine in France, we spend the morning in postcard perfect i m a J Colmar. On arrival we will enjoy an orientation tour through the heart of town f o y s on the ‘Petit Train’. Brightly painted, half-timbered houses on narrow, twisting e t r u o lanes make a perfect backdrop. The River Lauch winds its way through the c Authentically Albatross o t centre, known as the Little Venice district. Your afternoon will be spent on the o h p , It would be too easy to simply s Route Alsace du Vin (Alsace Wine Road). Stretching from Strasbourg to Colmar, n e d take the quickest route from r we will drive through the pretty villages of Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr and a G s Triberg to Bavaria. However, we ’ u Kaysersberg on this famous wine road. At one of the manicured vineyards we a n i don’t and we won’t. Instead we choose to stop at one of Europe’s a will enjoy a wine tasting of various classic local wines. (B) M classic palatial gardens that cover the entire island – Mainau on Lake DAY 4 TRIBERG IN THE BLACK FOREST C o n s t a n c e . D i f f e r e n t f l o w e r g a r d e n s a n d d i s p l a ys bloom depending Our morning will be spent in Strasbourg, the seat of the European on the season, as they have done for hundreds of years. This is Parliament. On arrival we board a glass topped boat to enjoy a river cruise European grand garden design at its finest, and it is a wonderful around the heart of this beautiful city. Retaining its old world charm there heritage experience . See Day 6. are three bridges spanning the River Ill, massive fortified towers and the pedestrian streets around the Place de la Cathédrale and Place Broglie are a delight. Take time to enjoy one of the numerous cosy bistros and cafes. Late DAY 6 HOHENSCHWANGAU IN BAVARIA afternoon and evening is at leisure in Triberg, in the very centre of the Black Heading south-east we soon arrive on the western shore of Lake Constance. Forest, famous for cake, and home to the world’s largest cuckoo clock. (B) Crossing a short causeway we visit the Flower Island of Mainau where a local DAY 5 TRIBERG IN THE BLACK FOREST g u i d e l e a d s u s t h r o u g h t h e 1 1 1 a c r e s o f b e a u t i f u l gardens and landscaped This morning we visit the beautiful lake and town of Titisee and enjoy a cruise grounds. Originally created nearly 200 years ago by Prince Nikolaus these on the crystal clear waters of this famous lake. Lunchtime is at leisure in the magnificent botanical gardens also boast an arboretum and an Italian rose capital of the Black Forest – the gothic city of Freiburg. Sensitively restored, garden complete with pergolas, sculptures, fountains and 500 varieties of Freiburg is one of the most charming of German cities, located where the roses. In summer it is splendid with its Rhododendrons along with huge Black Forest meets the Rhine Plain. Arcaded shopping streets and little displays of over 350,000 flowers. streams lead through the old town to its great gothic cathedral. (B, D) After catching a ferry across Lake Constance to Meersburg, we follow the northern lakeshore to enjoy an afternoon break in the old harbour town of Lindau. Later we continue to the mountains of Bavaria. Here, in the tiny village of Hohenschwangau, you will stay the next three nights in a wonderful setting. On one hill overlooking the village you have the neo- gothic castle of Hohenschwangau and on the other side above the village is a wooded mountain spur and Neuschwanstein - the fairytale castle of ‘mad’ King Ludwig. Time to enjoy a drink on the sun terrace or take a walk alongside the beautiful Lake Alpsee nearby. (B, D) Your Hotel in Bavaria - Hotel Muller DAY 7 HOHENSCHWANGAU IN BAVARIA A very relaxing day as we visit perhaps the most famous castle in the world – the fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle.